Archive for November, 2008

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the rolled oats, white chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Makes 6 dozen

Note: You can omit the nuts if desired

Seven Layer Magic Bars

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cups butterscotch flavored chips
1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 for glass dish).
Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, making sure to cover the sides well. Spray foil lightly with no-stick cooking spray. In small bowl combine butter and graham cracker crumbs; mix well. Press crumbs firmly in bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars.

Store covered at room temperature.

Chocolate Cluster Cookies

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

(Recipe from Pampered Chef – I haven’t tried this one, but it looked good)

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup plain chocolate M&M’s

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place cookie dough in a large bowl. Add peanut butter to bowl and mix well with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add chopped nuts if desired. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 10-12 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, and then remove to a wire rack.
Makes about 24 cookies

Cranberry Pecan Tassies

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 egg
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Craisins (Sweetened Dried Cranberries)
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Stir in flour. Shape dough into 24 balls; place one ball in each cup of an ungreased 1¾-inch muffin pan. Press dough evenly against bottom and side of each muffin cup. For the filling, beat together egg, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in Craisins and pecans. Spoon filling into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan.
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Makes 24

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

48 Hershey Kisses
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove foil from kisses.
In a large bowl, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie (cookie will crack around the edges). Remove to wire rack to cool.

 Makes about 48 cookies

Butter Snow Flake Spritz Cookies

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 egg yoke

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt and cinnamon; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and egg yoke, beat until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and orange zest. Gradually add the flour mixture. Fill a cookie press or pastry bag with the dough and form cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.

(Sprinkle with colored sugar or other desired toppings)

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

 Makes 6 dozen

 

Classic Sugar Cookies

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 extra large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Colored sugars for decorating

 

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine the butter and sugars and beat at medium speed until creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well mixed.  Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour, cream of tartar and baking soda. Beat until dough forms a ball.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to about 1 1/2-inches with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

 

Reduced Sugar Cranberry Cookies

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar blend

4 tablespoons Splenda sugar blend

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons orange extract

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, Splenda brown sugar blend and Splenda sugar blend; beating on medium speed about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and orange extract until well blended. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and sweetened dried cranberries.

Take enough of the batter to roll into a 1-inch ball. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or just until lightly browned; do not over bake. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 36 cookies

 

Pasta Carbonara

Friday, November 21st, 2008

 ¼ pound bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

½ cup chopped onion

½ (10oz package) frozen peas, thawed

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 cup grated Romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ pounds spaghetti, cooked & drained

Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pan and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add onion to pan and sauté 3 minutes. Add peas and sauté 3 minutes more. Stir in bacon, heavy cream, Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Heat through but do not boil. Serve immediately over hot pasta.

Make 3 cups

Mom’s Pizza Dough

Friday, November 21st, 2008

 1 cup flour

1 cup warm water

teaspoon salt

1 package yeast

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit a few minutes. Add to flour and knead until dough is mixed well. Cover and let rise in a warm place. Let rise about 3 hours.